Never Too Old
by SplishySplash
Summary: Its Brennan's birthday and the Squint Squad throws her a little party.
1. Chapter 1

**Title: Never Too Old**

**Author: SplishySplash, Ihave207Bones**

**Pairing: B/B**

**Episode: None so far**

**Rating: T **

**Summary: Its Brennan's birthday and the Squint Squad throw her a little party. **

**Authors Note: This story is written backwards, just so you are on the same page as me. **

The early morning light shown through the drapes lighting figures that slept peacefully on the couch. Her head rested on his shoulder and his legs were tangled with in her own, holding her from falling off the couch and they were surrounded by remnants of a party that had long ago ended.

A loud knocking on the door awoke the occupants.

They both groaned as she buried her face into his shoulder and he buried is face into her hair, but stayed stationary. A key slid into the lock and the door swung open, loud footsteps resonating through the apartment followed by a chuckle. The door was slammed shut and the pair jumped, falling in a tangled heap onto the floor with a loud thud. "Ow!" They cried as their foreheads met each other.

"Aren't you both a little old to be drinking irresponsibly?" Asked the voice, rustling around the kitchen and throwing bottles into the recycling bin with a loud, painful clink.

"Max?" Booth asked and Brennan didn't move. "What are you doing here at. . ." He lifted his wrist up to look at his watch and groaned at how late it was. "Eleven thirty?"

"I came to take my daughter to lunch for her birthday, but seeing as she hasn't responded yet I might have to come back." Max said amusement laced in his voice.

Brennan laid her head on the floor and her hair sprayed out around her head as Max's head peeked over the couch. She blinked her eyes a couple of times before she was able to focus on her father. "Hi dad." She grumbled gaining a chuckle from Booth who rolled his head to look at her.

"I take it that you're not in the mood to go to lunch? Aren't you both a little old for drinking games?" Max asked loudly, walking around the couch and a crunch echoed through the empty apartment. "What's with all the ping pong balls?"

Both of them groaned as Max reached over them, gathering the rows of shot glasses and paper cups. "You're never too old for drinking games." Booth said slowly, his eyes still closed and his head resting on his arm.

"Obviously you are if you are this hung over." Max said, walking back to the kitchen and putting the glasses in the sink. "I'm just grateful that the both of you are not naked."

Was about to argue, but it came out as another groan. "Age has nothing to do with how much alcohol consumption your body can handle." She said, her arm covering her eyes from the light.

"Whatever you say, Sweetheart." Max said cleaning the mess from behind the couch where they couldn't see what he was doing. "I'm not the one laying on the floor with a coworker."

She rolled her head towards Booth and frowned. "I don't remember drinking that much." She said, lifting her head up slightly. "But then again I don't remember a lot of things from last night."

Max laughed loudly and stood over them. "Do you think you'll be up for dinner?" He asked, reaching for the throw and placing it over them. She nodded, losing all energy to speak and closed her eyes tightly. "You're welcome to join us, Booth. In fact, I'm not giving you a choice."

He gave the man a thumb up with his free hand and rolled to his side, wrapping an arm around the woman. "Do you want to meet at the Hyperion at seven?" Max asked.

Brennan's eyes fluttered open again. "Isn't that a little pricey, dad?" She asked.

"Only the champagne and wine selection, other than that it's just an excuse to get dressed up." Max answered, before walking to the door. "I'll see you both a seven."

Booth opened his eyes again. "I don't think I want to drink ever again."

"I concur." Brennan said closing her eyes.

There was a moment of silence before Booth spoke up again. "Hey Bones?" He asked with his eyes closed.

"Yeah?" She asked, burying her face into his shoulder.

"Happy Birthday." He said weakly.


	2. Chapter 2

**Title: Never Too Old**

**Author: SplishySplash, Ihave207Bones**

**Spoilers: Mayhem on a Cross, sorry I couldn't resist**

**Pairing: B/B**

**Summary: Its Brennan's birthday and the squint squad throw her a party.**

**Author's note: Okay, now you will see how this is backwards.**

The room was surrounded with brightly colored streamers hanging from the walls and a decorated 'Happy Birthday, Sweetie!' in Angela's calligraphic scrawl. She was still slightly in shock, even after being in her apartment for longer than an hour, that her friends had taken time, during a very busy case, to steal her keys and get inside her apartment to decorate it. Wrapping paper was folded neatly on the floor and boxes filled with presents sitting on the end table and the partygoers floated around the dining room.

They cheered happily as Booth skillfully bounced the quarter into the glass and he again pointed at Sweets to drink from the glass. The young shrink downed his fifth shot glass full of the intoxicating liquid that he had long forgotten what he was drinking and he sway slightly on his feet. "This game isn't fun . . . hic . . . anymore." He slurred, with a content smile on his face.

Booth placed an arm on his shoulder. "You're just a lightweight trying to take on the world champion of Quarters." Booth said, placing a swig from the beer in his hand and wandering to his partner, who was sitting at her table, her head in her hand. He wrapped his arm around her should, pressing her back into his front. "Are you okay?"

She rested her head against him and smiled. "I'm alright, Booth." She said as Hodgins' quarter bounced in to the glass and he pointed to Sweets again, who groaned again as he drank his sixth shot glass. Before Brennan could say anything else Cam interrupted with an 'alright, leave Sweet's alone for awhile.'

"I'm bored with this game." Said Angela, looking expectantly at Hodgins for another idea.

"You know what I haven't played since college?" He answered as if reading her mind and wandered into Brennan's kitchen, rummaging through her cupboards. "Sweet, you do have plastic cups."

She shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know where they came from." She said contently with Booth's arm around her, which probably had to do with the alcohol she had consumed. "What do you need them for?"

"Beer Pong."

Angela squealed and clapped her hands excitedly. "I'm good at this game." She said, taking half of the red plastic cups and placed a pyramid of cups on one side of the table as Hodgins did the same. When she finished, she looked at her work and then frowned. "You don't happen to have a ping pong ball do you?"

Hodgins frowned. "I don't have any." He said almost sadly. Brennan stood up and Booth's hand went back to his side, he followed her out of the sitting room down a hallway and placed a hand on the door that she opened as she rifled through her organized closet.

"I think I have. . ." She mumbled to herself as she reached up for the box on the top shelf that was almost out of reach, save for Booth reaching over her head to pull it down for her. She smiled her thanks brightly and searched through it with Booth looking over her shoulder. A surprised look came to his face when he saw the random art supplies and in the bottom was a small box of bright orange ping pong balls. "Found some."

Booth put the box back to the shelf and shut the door behind him. "Why do you have ping pong balls?" He asked, following her back down the hallway.

"It was for a project I did on molecular biology when I was in grad school." She answered, tossing the package to Hodgins.

"Sweet." Hodgins said, opening the packaging and sending the balls flying in all directions, save for one ball that landed near him. "We'll just play with one ball, I guess."

Sweets sat up from the couch that he was laying on. "What?" He asked in a drunk stupor before falling back onto the couch.

Everyone ignored him as they gathered around the table and Cam sat herself on the counter to watch, with an amused smile on her face. Booth pulled Brennan next him as Angela stood next to Hodgins in natural teams as the entomologist finished filling the cups with random cheap beer that he had picked up on the way to her apartment. Brennan looked at the set up, trying to determine what was to happen with the cups and ping pong ball.

"Do you know how to play?" Booth whispered in her ear.

She frowned and shook her head negatively, waiting for directions. "It's easy." Hodgins said with the ball in his hand, he tossed the ball and it bounced off the rim of a cup before rolling onto the floor. "I missed, it's your turn."

Booth picked up the ball and handed it to her. "Try to toss it into a cup, if you make it one of them has to drink it." He said motioning for her to take the shot and it landed in a middle cup. "Good job."

Angela downed the glass as Hodgins passed the ball back to Booth who tossed the ball back, bouncing off the lid of one cup and landing in another. Hodgins frowned as he drank the two cups bringing a laugh from the pathologist. "Looks like someone played a lot of this in college." She said.

The ball was passed back to them and Booth caught it with a laugh. "I was beer pong champion." He said, handing the ball to his partner. She tossed it and it missed, bouncing on the table into the entomologist's hand. It was Angela's turn and it landed in the tip of the pyramid, Booth reached for it and handed it to her.

"Bottoms up, Sweetie!" Angela said. She placed the cup to her mouth and drank it quickly before putting the glass back. Booth tossed the ball back and Hodgins tossed it, landing in cup in the far corner next to Brennan. Booth downed the beer and both stood waiting for Angela to toss it.

It missed.

Brennan picked the ball off the floor and carefully aimed the ball for the far left corner and it landed cleanly in the liquid. She jumped up and down excitedly clapping her hands as Angela drank the cup, leaving their team with two cups left.

It was Booth's turn next and it sank into another cup. Brennan held her hand up excitedly and he slapped it with a smile on his face. Hodgins passed the ball back and Brennan took her shot and it landed in the last cup. As Angela drank it with a frown on her face, Brennan jumped into Booth's arms excitedly, both with matching smiles.

"Congratulations." Hodgins said coming around the table to high five the partners as Angela folded her arms in a pout.

Booth placed Brennan back on to her feet and they high fived the losing team. "Can we play again?" Brennan asked.

"Only if I get Booth on my team." Angela said, grabbing the agents arm and walking him to the other side of the table.

"It's Dr. B's birthday, she should choose who is on her team." Hodgins said, pouring the cups full of beer again.

"Its okay, Jack." Brennan said, glaring playfully at the opposing team. "We'll just kick their collective asses." Hodgins stopped pouring long enough to high five her again with a smile on his face. Booth smiled as Angela pulled him down to whisper instructions in his ear, he nodded and gained a curious look from Brennan.

It had surprised him how competitive the artist could be as she plotted their attacks on getting the anthropologist drunk so that she . . . they could win the round by having Booth stand across from her and sink every cup, one after another.

"That's asking for a miracle, Angela." Booth said with a laugh, but her glare proved that she was determined to win the round. "Alright, I'll try."

Angela kissed him on the cheek and gave him a slap on the behind. "Don't try, do." She whispered with a plastered smile.

Brennan and Hodgins laughed as Booth looked at her wide eyed. "Don't mind her."Hodgins said with a laugh. "This is normal for her, just keep an eye on her octopus hands." Booth groaned as Hodgins handed him the ball.

He tossed it and it landed cleanly in a cup as Angela clapped excitedly. Brennan drank the cup and sat it back down with an amused smile on her face as Hodgins tossed the ball back.

The exchange went back and forth until both teams had one cup left as the laughter grew louder and the speech slurred. "You filled the cups too full." Booth said, setting down his last cup and tossed the ball back to Brennan, it bounced off her chest and landed in the cup.

He shrugged and handed the ball back to Brennan. She tossed it and before it could land squarely in the cup, Angela swatted the ball away and knocked the cup over.

Brennan frowned. "Hey! That's cheating!"

Hodgins raised his hands in victory. "We win, by default." He said loudly as both of his hands met the anthropologists' in an excited exchange of palms and pulled her into a hug. Booth watched with a smile as he tried to cheer up a nearly wasted Angela, who folded her arms and pouted.

"One more round!" Angela said excitedly. "This time I get Brennan."

Cam stood in between the teams and evaluated. "Wait, doesn't it count if it bounces off somebody and lands in the cup?" She asked with a smile. "That's how I used to play."

A very loud squeal let out from Angela as she jumped into Booths arms excitedly and Brennan conceded and drank the last cup. "We won? I knew you could do it!" Angela said, Cam grabbed her arm and pulled her off the agent. She led the artist to the couch and set her next down the sleeping psychologist's head, who was stretched out on the long sofa.

Brennan wandered into the kitchen to grab a towel to wipe up the beer that spilled onto the table and was quickly making its way towards the floor. She wiped up the mess and grabbed a plate that rested on her desk, before walking back into the kitchen.

Booth walked around and found the rest of the cake plates when a crash from the kitchen made him look up. His partner was kneeling down, picking up the pieces of the plate that was in her hands slowly with a shudder escaping her. It was only the other day that she had told him about her childhood and being locked in a trunk from two day because she dropped a plate.

He set the plates in his hand on the table and kneeled down to help picked up the pieces, assessing her condition. He took the pieces from her hand as a small sob escaped her lips he tossed the glass in the trash can and bundled her up in his arms, bringing them to full height. "I was trying to be careful. . ." She muttered in a whisper.

"Its okay, Bones." He said as she buried her head into his neck. Cam and Hodgins looked up, worried for their crying friend and took it as their cue to leave, gathering the shrink and the artist.

"I'm just so clumsy." She said, muffled by his chest. He tightened his grip on her and pressed his lips to her forehead.

"It was an accident, Bones." Booth cooed softly. He closed his eyes, wishing that the wounds hadn't been reopened for her, for them. He knew it was rough in the system, but he had no idea the abuse that she was exposed to his caring, loving partner didn't deserve any of it. She took a deep breath and collected herself enough to say a goodbye to their friends.

Her grip loosened on Booth and was immediately enveloped in Cam's arms tightly. "Happy Birthday, Doctor Brennan." The pathologist whispered into her ear. "If you need anything, I'm just a phone call away."

Brennan wiped her eyes and smiled weakly. "I think I will be okay." They both looked at Booth, whose arms were folded behind them, just out of earshot.

Hodgins kissed her on the cheek, dangerously close to her lips. "You were a good team mate, Doctor Brennan." He said with a bright smile. "Happy Birthday tomorrow!"

Angela kissed her sloppily on the forehead and Sweets smiled as they were dragged out of the apartment with the soft click of the latch. Brennan could feel Booths eyes on her as she closed her eyes, willing herself to stop crying, but failed miserably as Booth wrapped his arms around her from behind.

She turned around in his arms and laid her head on his chest. "I hate being like this." She whispered with her eyes closed. "It was a long time ago."

Booth placed a hand on her cheek and forced her to look at him gently. "It doesn't make it any less painful, it was an accident, Bones." He said softly, pressing his lips to her forehead. "No one should be exposed to that and I wish I could make it go away."

A lone tear escaped her eyes. "What about you Booth?" She asked in a whisper. He exhaled forcefully and tightened his grip on her. It was her turn to direct his gaze with her hand.

"What about me?" He asked modestly. He shifts uncomfortably and his gaze travels away, not wanting to open the wound any bigger.

It was also her turn to kiss him on the cheek, bringing his gaze back at her. "I want you to know that if you want to talk about it, I'm here for you." She said encouragingly.

"I know, Bones." He said, taking her hand and leading her to the couch, he took a seat and pulled her down next to him.

She hiccupped quietly as she grabbed a couple of tissues from the box on the end table, she handed him one and wiped her nose with the other one. "The amount of alcohol we've consumed doesn't help this situation."

Booth chuckled as he wiped his own eyes, not knowing that the tears had escaped before he wiped the mascara that had escaped her lashes off her cheek. After a long moment of silence her eyes grew heavy and her head rested on his shoulder that Booth reached over and turned off the lap.

With the darkness surrounding the room, Booth moved the sleeping woman so that she was lying on top of him and her face buried into his chest contently as he too drifted off to sleep, feeling a little lighter.


	3. Chapter 3

**Never Too Old**

**Author: SplishySplash, Ihave207Bones**

**Pairing: B/B**

**Spoilers: Mayhem on the Cross **

**Rating: K**

**Summary: Its Brennan's birthday and the squint squad throw her a party.**

**Author's note: Okay, now you will see how this is backwards.**

The restaurant was empty, save for random Jeffersonian employees and FBI agents who had the pleasure of working for Temperance Brennan awaited for her to arrive. Angela scurried around, playing host to the surprise party awaiting the arrival of the birthday girl. She had taken the afternoon off to ensure that the anthropologist stayed oblivious to her plans, which wasn't hard when she tasked that job out to her partner.

"This is a great set up Angela, you've really outdone yourself." Cam said shaking the water off her jacket before hanging it up on the coat rack by the door.

The artist tied the last balloon to a chair and smiled at the pathologist, greeting her with a hug. "It's been awhile since I've thrown a shindig, but I'm happy with it. " She said with a small happy shrug. "Was Bren still there when you left?"

The pathologist nodded and a bigger smile as she sat a box on the present table. "Booth was collecting her as I left she was sure putting a fight, though." There was a chuckle from behind them as Brennan's father and brother walked in behind them followed by the entomologist.

"That's Tempe for you." Max said, hanging his jacket on the same coat rack.

Russ gathered the artist in a hug. "She wouldn't be herself if she wasn't putting up some sort of fight." Russ said as they wandered further into the restaurant, taking in the decorations. A huge banner hung from the roof surrounded by burgundy and white colored balloons and ribbons, daffodils and candles as center pieces on the tables.. "I'm guessing her favorite color is burgundy?"

Angela shrugged. "It is for today." She said. "You should see her apartment it's a bit more colorful."

"Doctor Brennan doesn't really have a favorite color." Hodgins said with a smile, his attention scanning the flock of female FBI agents across the restaurant.

Angela scoffed and folded her arms. "She would launch herself into a long speech about how the body is receptive towards the light refracted off an object or something like that." Angela mocked with a smile. The psychologist walked in the door with a toothy smile and a wrapped box in his hand. "Sweets, I'm glad that you could make it!"

"Daisy wanted to come, but she is too close to finishing her dissertation." He said, setting his box on the neatly decorated table. "And I wouldn't miss this for the world, I'm curious to see how both Booth and Doctor Brennan handle the attention."

Max was about to comment about it when Hodgins spoke up. "They're coming!" He said excitedly Booth held the door open for the anthropologist.

". . . Booth, I wasn't anywhere near finished typing up that report, not to mention I got a request for a lecture that I need to prepare for and I need to go over the remains for the new exhibit on the early American settlers." She exclaimed, not taking notice that the room was filled with people she knew.

Booth chuckled loudly. "And it will all be amazing, but you have to eat sometime." Booth said with a wink.

"SURPRISE!" Everyone shouted excitedly.

She jumped back into Booth, whose hands went to her waist to keep her standing. She gasped loudly and Booth whispered encouragingly into her ear as he led her into the middle of the floor where she was gathered into the arms of the artist, pathologist, entomologist and psychologist before she noticed her father and brother who also swept her up in their arms.

"You guys didn't have to do this." She said nervously as all pairs of eyes were on her.

Angela placed an arm over her shoulders and smiled brightly. "Of course we did sweetie! It's your birthday and you are always so modest about it, so we decided that you needed a little surprise party." She explained excitedly as she pointed out the people who had arrived for her birthday.

"My birthday isn't until tomorrow. . ." She said and frowned.

"I know, but it was easier to get everyone together tonight and I thought you had plans for tomorrow night."Angela said with a bright smile. Brennan tilted her head to the side, like she did when she was processing information obviously signaling that she didn't have an idea as to what Angela was talking about. "Go ahead and mingle for a while, then we will eat." She covered.

Brennan stood still for a moment, trying to shake the shock that filled her when her dad approached her. "What's wrong sweetie?" He asked, it was almost awkward for him to stand next to his daughter. It was the first birthday celebration that he had been around for since she turned fifteen and tomorrow she was turning thirty three.

"Nothing." She answered simply. "I'm really happy that you are here." Her gaze sought out Booth that was talking animatedly to Sweets and Hodgins by the bar, his arm moving like he was tossing a ball.

Max followed her gaze. "Booth showed up couple days ago and invited us. The babysitter backed out last minute so Amy decided to stay home." He said with a knowing smile. "Booth is a good man, came all the way to North Carolina to invite us to this little party."

Her face fell in awe as Booth looked up from his conversation and sent her one of his charm smiles that had forced her to put her hand on the table as support. Angela and Cam watched from across the room with matching smiles. "Man do I wish that was pointed at me." Angela said and Cam nodded as they turned their attention to the kitchen.

"He is a very good man." She answered she watched Booth hand Sweets a glass filled with champagne and pointed at her. The psychologist crossed the restaurant and handed her the glass. "Thanks Sweets."

"No problem, Doctor Brennan. " He said with a bright smile.

Max extended his hand to the shrink who warily took his hand giving it a brief squeeze to the man he hadn't seen since his trial. "It's good to see you, Doctor Sweets." Max said trying to make small talk. Sweets responded in surprise as Brennan took a sip of the champagne and wandered towards Booth who had a phone pressed to his ear near the door.

". . . She's right here, hang on." He said into the receiver and gave his attention to his partner.

Her brow raised and a frown formed on his lips. "Do we have a case?" She asked in a quiet voice.

"You're not getting out of this party Bones." Booth chided as he folded his free arm, prepared for an argument. "It's your birthday and we are going to celebrate it."

She held up her hands defensively. "I was just asking. . ."

A smile came to his face as he held the phone for her. "It's for you, they want to wish you a happy birthday." Her smile matched his as she took the phone from him and pressed it to her ear.

"Hello?" She said into the phone and a small voice on the other end made her smile soften.

"Happy Birthday, Bones!" It was Parker on the other end.

Her heart metaphorically skipped a beat and she metaphorically melted. "Thank you Parker." She said, turning to the door to hear the boy.

"How old are you?" The boy asked, not knowing the social norms behind asking a woman her age not that she minded of course. She answered his question honestly and he giggled excitedly. "My daddy is older than you, but not that much."

Brennan chuckled and turned to his father, who held his smile at her as Angela announced that dinner was served. "I know, bud." She said.

"Did you get the present that I made for you? I gave it to daddy to give to you." He said excitedly.

"I haven't opened any presents yet, but I'll make sure I open yours first." She said softly and Booth motioned that her presence was requested at the tables. "I have to go, your dad needs me."

They said their goodbyes with a promise to call tomorrow when she handed the phone back to his father who also said his goodbye and placed the phone back into his pocket. "He was really excited when I told him about your birthday." Booth said, placing a hand on the small of her back and lead her towards her overly decorated chair and walking towards the line of food.

"Booth, I can get my own. . . "She started, gaining a sharp look from him.

"It's your birthday let me do this for you." He said sweetly pushing her back down on her chair gently, with his hand on her shoulder as her dad took a seat next to her and Russ kissed her on the top of her head before taking the seat on the other side of Max.

Angela sat across from her with a bright smile on her face. "Relax sweetie, let Booth play the alpha male today. Consider it a birthday present from him." Angela said with a smile as she began picking off the pineapple from her pizza, piling it nicely on her plate in a small pyramid.

Russ watched Angela with fascination as she dissected her pizza before taking a bite of it. "What have you done to your pizza?" He asked with his eyes wide.

She shrugged her shoulders and watched as Booth sat a plate in front of Brennan before taking a seat next to her, her plate filled with vegetarian pizza and bread sticks. She waited expectantly and his brow rose. "What?" He asked as he took a bite of his own pizza.

A very non-Brennan like comment slipped from her lips. "Aren't you going to cut it for me too?" She asked innocently as a wave of laughter filled the table. His smile read 'smart ass' as he picked up a knife and leaned over her to cut her pizza, she swatted his arm away and picked up the slice and took a bite of its gooey goodness.

*~*

Another roar of laughter filled the restaurant as Max told the story of Brennan's fifth birthday party. ". . . but boy was Tempe determined to hit the piñata, she stomped on ole' Ray's foot and he dropped the rope it was on. She beat that thing like a bat out of hell." Max said as he rubbed the tears out of his eyes. "Ray shot me the dirtiest and all I could say is that's my baby girl."

Brennan's face was buried into her hands as her shoulders quaked with laughter and Booths arm resting on her hunched back. "That's Doctor Brennan for you, doing anything to get what she wants." Cam said teasingly.

"Even step on the foot of the elderly neighbor to get a handful of candy." Russ said with a hearty laugh before pointing a finger at his dad. "Remember on her second birthday when she climbed up on the table and got into the cake? They named the terrible twos after Tempe went through it, she was quite the climber."

Her face grew redder as the embarrassing stories continued giving insight to the woman they knew before she was forced to grow up quickly, sticking clear of sensitive subjects. A comfortable silence filled the restaurant as a couple of waiters brought a cake with thirty three candles and set it in the middle of the long table, followed by two other cakes. Hodgins took a lighter and lit the candles as they broke out into a very tone deaf version of Happy Birthday only to her.

She got all the candles out in one try and the cakes were quickly served. "I couldn't remember what kind you like so I picked out three of them." Angela said when questioned about the three cakes. "I never realized how difficult it is to decide."

"You couldn't make it up?" Sweets asked as he took a bite of his cake, standing next to Cam and eyeing her choice of a yellow cake. "I see your point."

Booth watched as Brennan chatted animatedly with a small group of people who he assumed worked at the Jeffersonian as a hand was placed on his shoulder. "I guess she is a little old to be asking you what your intentions with my daughter are, but then again I would be repeating myself." Max said with a laugh. "Thank you for putting this party together for her."

He shrugged modestly. "It was a joint effort. . ." Booth answered just as modestly, hiding the flush on his cheek with a napkin.

"I know, but you took the time and effort to come down to invite Russ and I, it means a lot to me to know that she is well taken care of. " Max said squeezing his shoulder as Brennan walked over, her fork poised at his chocolate cake.

Stealing a bite of his cake, she smiled at the men. "You're not telling anymore embarrassing stories from my childhood are you?" She asked stealing another bite.

The men looked at each other and a chuckle escaped from her father. "Of course not honey, Booth was just complaining that Angela didn't get any pie." It was a small white lie and it rolled off his tongue with ease because she had complained about him and his 'pie fetish.'

With the mother of eye roll and a huff, she placed her free hand on her hip. "Are you serious? You will live if you don't have your daily piece of pie it's really a wonder how in shape you are." Brennan said, digging her fork into her own white cake and holding it up for him to take a bite.

He took the bite and smiled, deciding to ignore her pie comment. "You always choose better cake." He said, digging his fork into her cake. "I'm getting that kind from now on." Max smiled and took a step back, watching the exchange between the partners.

"You can't." She said with a bright smile. "Because then I would want some of the chocolate cake."

He laughed as both pieces slowly began to disappear. "It's almost like if you give a mouse a cookie." He said as confusion spread across her face.

"I don't know what that means." She said her face falling in confusion.

Russ wandered over and placed an arm on her shoulders. "It's a children's book, Hayley and Emma love it." He said pulling her into a hug as a signal that he was heading out, when she noticed that the crowd had thinned out and the bus boys were clearing the tables. "I need to head out."

Booth took her plate from behind her brothers back as he wished her a happy birthday. As he left, the Squint Squad gathered around the birthday girl holding the wrapped boxes and a beautiful smile spread across her face. "Thanks guys for everything." She said softly.

"Oh we aren't finished yet, babe." Hodgins said, his smile suggested trouble and that he was up to something with the left over cake boxes in his hands. "Sorry, the babe thing is just a reflex." His free hand went to the back of his neck awkwardly as Angela stepped in.

"We are going back to your place to open presents and have a little birthday fun." Angela said, placing an arm over her shoulders and walking her towards the coat rack. "Including lots and lots of alcohol."

Booth held out her coat and she slid into it, shivering slightly as his fingers brushed her neck when he untucked her hair from under the collar and met her father at the door. "This is my cue to head out too." He said wrapping his arms around her.

"You're not going to join us, Max?" Asked Booth with a laugh as the rest filed out of the door as he put his own jacket on.

"No, I'm too old for that sort of stuff." He said with a laugh, giving his daughter one last squeeze. "Have fun, be careful and all that sort of nonsense."

Her face fell slightly as her eyebrow raised matching the 'clearly not amused' look that graced her face. "I can take care of myself you know. . ." She said placing her hands on her hips as Booth grabbed her arm, leading her from the restaurant.

"Of course you can, Bones. Come on before Hodgins and Angela drink it all." He said with a nod to Max and a hand on her back and ushered her out of the door.


End file.
